For many years, the mechanism for evaluating clinical processes related to a particular patient has been the medical chart or medical record. As such, for example, the medical record has been used to record patient identification, health history, medical examination and/or lab test results, medical prescriptions and other information such as, for example, orders related to the particular treatments or diagnoses associated with the patient. Accordingly, in order to assess whether a patient has received or is due to receive a particular treatment or care related event, the patient's chart would typically be reviewed. Additionally, in order to become aware of the results of various tests or treatments or to keep abreast of trends in certain indicators related to a particular condition or treatment, chart review would typically be required.
Recently, efforts have been made to move to electronic medical records (EMR). Although the EMR concept has encountered many issues in relation to, for example, cost, security, interoperability, etc., many hospitals are either employing, or planning to employ, some form of EMR. With clinical documentation systems moving to electronic media, clinical data may be available for incorporation into a number of different applications designed to assist in the management or use of such data. Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) is one example of a development that may improve the ability to electronically access information related to physician's orders. Many other applications are being developed to utilize electronic information on people and processes to manage the provision of various aspects of patient care including the provision of predictive care.
As the availability of electronic clinical data is increasing, the demand for applications that utilize such data to provide information, guidance and services is also increasing. Since many applications will require access to up to date or current care related information, the mechanism by which current and accurate information is provided to a variety of applications may become an important aspect in providing quality care management. However, even assuming a repository for current and accurate information can be provided, it may thereafter be difficult to digest all of the available data since some data is important in certain contexts, but relatively unimportant in other contexts.
Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide an improved mechanism by which clinical data that is important may be identified based on the context in which the data is provided.